Scottish Rugby launches SROI project for grassroots game

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - MAY 14: Everyone's Game branding during Womens Silver Saturday at BT Murrayfield, on May 14, 2022, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Scottish Rugby’s Rugby Development Department has launched its first Social Return on Investment project to help the department and clubs alike understand and quantify the social, environment and economic value of the grassroots game in Scotland.

This project looks to create data and information which can provide national and local benefits, supporting new partnerships in health, education, government and commercial sectors.

Supported by the Club Rugby Board, the research being delivered by the Rugby Development Department, who have enlisted Substance, a specialist research and technology company to oversee its delivery. Substance have previously delivered similar projects for the IRFU, SFA and UEFA.

The valuation of rugby is reliant on analysis of data and information from the community game. To compliment data held in Scottish Rugby’s Player Management system, SCRUMS, Scottish Rugby is launching two surveys, which clubs and individuals in our game are now invited to complete.

Speaking about the project, Scottish Rugby Vice-President and Club Rugby Board Chairman, Keith Wallace said: “For the first time we will be able to quantify the vast amounts of money and – most importantly, time – which our clubs, schools and societies and all their volunteers collectively invest, to calculate the social return on this investment, so this is a hugely exciting project.

“We already know that participating in sport makes people happier and healthier, and it does the same thing for our communities with life-changing, sustainable benefits that have huge economic and social value.

“We have seen this project carried out in other sports and indeed other Unions including the IRFU, and we believe as we continue to move forward after the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important we can place value on grassroots rugby in Scotland to help both Scottish Rugby and our clubs open up new avenues of funding and support by being able to provide data which shows how impactful our sport is beyond the action on the pitch. We will also be able to formally recognise the combined value of all of our voluntary efforts.

“We are now asking those at the heart of our game – our clubs, players and volunteers – to engage in a short survey to help us with the next phase of research. In advance of completion, I would like to thank you on behalf of Scottish Rugby and the CRB for your contribution and the time taken to complete these surveys. We will all benefit.”

As a token of thanks, individuals who complete the survey will be given the opportunity to enter a prize draw for a £250 voucher to the Scottish Rugby store.

Individual Survey: This survey is intended for players, volunteers and parents

Club Survey: This survey is for Clubs. Please ensure only one submission is made per Club.